HTC-Columbia won the opening stage team time trial in the Tuscan seaside resort of Viareggio. The German-registered team flew around the short 5.45km out-and-back course in a time of 6’21”, 11 seconds ahead of its big rival the Cervélo TestTeam in second place; Nederland Bloeit was 21 seconds back in third place.
"It's always good to start with a win," said HTC-Columbia rider Ina Teutenberg afterwards, "and to get such a big gap in such a short TTT is a very good sign that we're all in great shape."
The Netherlands National Team, sixth team to start, completed the completely flat course in 6’43”, but it was only to sit on top of the standings for a short time; two teams later HTC-Columbia went 22 seconds faster.
Two teams after HTC-Columbia the Nederland Bloeit team of Dutch time trial champion Marianne Vos went 1 second faster than their national team compatriots to go into provisional second place. The next team was the Cervélo TestTeam though, which went 10 seconds faster than Nederland Bloeit, but still 11 seconds behind HTC-Columbia.
Team Valdarno was the last team to start, featuring World road champion and Italian time trial champion Tatiana Guderzo and Italian road champion Monia Baccaille; the team finished 23 seconds behind HTC-Columbia to slot into fifth.
Teutenberg was the first rider from HTC-Columbia to cross the line and so takes the first pink jersey of this year’s race; just as she led July’s Giro d’Italia after the first stage.
"It was just the way it worked out,” she said. “I had to keep the speed up at the end there. When a team time trial is this short and with just three 180-degree corners, the times are always really tight. I've been sick and I need six days' good racing here. So hopefully it'll all keep going and we'll be able to keep the lead for at least another stage."
Result stage 1
1. HTC-Columbia (Ger) 6’21”
2. Cervélo TestTeam (Ned) @ 11s
3. Nederland Bloeit (Ned) @ 21s
4. Netherlands National Team (Ned) @ 22s
5. Team Valdarno (Ita) @ 23s
6. Gauss-RDZ-Ormu (Ita) @ 24s
7. Top Girls-Fassa Bortolo-Ghezzi (Ita) @ 28s
8. Swedish National Team (Swe) @ 29s
9. Safi-Pasta Zara (Ltu) @ 31s
10. Michela Fanini-Record-Rox (Ita) @ 36s
11. German National Team (Ger) @ 36s
12. Team System Data (Ita) @ 43s
13. SC Chirio Forno d’Asolo (Ita) @ 44s
14. GS Vaiano Solaristech (Ita) @ 45s
15. Austrian National Team (Aut) @ 48s
16. Great Britain National Team (GBr) @ 51s
17. Fenixs-Petrogadgets (Rus) @ 51s
18. Slovenian National Team (Slo) @ 53s
19. Lointek (Spa) @ 57s
20. SC Vecchia Fontana (Ita) @ 1’08”
21. Ukrainian National Team (Ukr) @ 1’23”
Standings after stage 1
1. Ina Teutenberg (Ger) HTC-Columbia
2. Emilia Fahlin (Swe) HTC-Columbia
3. Judith Arndt (Ger) HTC-Columbia
4. Adrie Visser (Ned) HTC-Columbia
5. Linda Villumsen (NZl) HTC-Columbia
6. Evelyn Stevens (USA) HTC-Columbia
7. Noemi Cantele (Ita) HTC-Columbia
8. Regina Bruins (Ned) Cervélo TestTeam @ 11s
9. Sarah Düster (Ger) Cervélo TestTeam
10. Claudia Häusler (Ger) Cervélo TestTeam